Boost Your Productivity with Vacation

Vacation is one of the most essential tools for productivity at work. I’ll say that again. Vacation is one of the most essential tools for productivity at work. While this has become a more mainstream topic of conversation in recent years, it still feels good (albeit challenging) to acknowledge it. I just finished a vacation where I didn’t do any work for the first time in years. I didn’t bring my work computer, didn’t feel any guilt, and somehow reentered the work week afterwards with fresh ideas, renewed focus, and increased energy.

This is new for me, but here’s why I don’t want to do it any other way ever again.

Parkinson's Law: Work Expands to Fill the Time

Coined by Cyril Northcote Parkinson , Parkinson's Law states that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." In simpler terms, the more time you allocate to a task, the longer it will take. This might sound counterintuitive, but not when you think about past actions. With a looming deadline, we are all more likely to focus and avoid distractions. Conversely, when we have a seemingly endless timeline, it’s all the easier to procrastinate and add complexity.

In his original article for The Economist , Parkinson laid this out and drew a comparison to the expansion of government, talking about how everyone wanted to have direct reports and, as more and more were hired, everyone created more work for each other. Kind of like an ever-expanding calendar of meetings about meetings that lead to more meetings.

By taking dedicated time to fully unplug from work, it becomes possible to see how and where that expansion happens, and to then cut back on it. As you do this, the Pareto Principle takes effect.

The Pareto Principle: The 80/20 Rule

Also known as the 80/20 rule, the Pareto Principle states that roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. Applied to work, this means that a small number of high-impact tasks likely drive the majority of results. Identifying this crucial twenty percent can empower you to prioritize effectively and avoid getting bogged down in less impactful activities. But how?

Again, I turn to vacation. Leading up to time off, I typically channel my productivity into the things that absolutely must be done and deflect the things that are less strategically important. While not perfect, it’s a natural filter to help. Coming back from vacation, I can also more clearly see that things don’t just fall apart if I miss an email, a meeting, or some new thing that “needs” to be done.

Taking Action

While putting this into practice is easier said than done, here are a few steps that I’ve started to apply to iterate on this process:

·???????? Set Clear Deadlines: Break down large projects into smaller tasks and assign realistic deadlines for each. This creates a sense of urgency and helps avoid the Parkinson's Law trap.

·???????? Schedule Time Blocks: Dedicate specific time slots for high-impact tasks during peak attention hours, typically morning while you have higher reserves in your tank to power through and avoid distractions.

·???????? Identify the 20%: Analyze your workload and pinpoint the tasks that deliver the biggest results.

·???????? Track Your Progress: Monitor how your time is spent and identify areas for improvement. Reflect on whether your deadlines were effective and adjust your approach as needed. Do this on a schedule.

·???????? Take vacation: Your brain needs space to unpack what you are doing. Give it that space with a fully unplugged vacation.

Last Thoughts

I'm currently reading The 4-hour Work Week , which is packed with ideas to streamline time and maximize impact, while enjoying your best life. I'm looking forward to unpacking some of this in my next article.

Until then, thank you for reading this far. If you did read this far, please consider recommending this newsletter to someone you think would appreciate it like you do. Also, Go Sixers !